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Efficient Management (efficient + management)
Selected AbstractsAcute stroke and transient ischaemic attack management , time to act fastINTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL, Issue 5 2009D. S. Crimmins Abstract Stroke is Australia's second single greatest killer with 53 000 new events each year at a rate of 1 every 10 min. Stroke services should be organized to enable people to access proven therapies, such as stroke unit care and thrombolysis, to reduce the impact of stroke. Timely, efficient and coordinated care from ambulance services, emergency services and stroke services will maximize recovery and prevent costly complications and subsequent strokes. Efficient management of patients with transient ischaemic attack can produce significant reductions in subsequent stroke events and risk stratification using the ABCD2 tool can aid management decisions. Evidence for acute stroke care continues to evolve and it is crucial that health professionals are aware of, and implement, best practice clinical guidelines for stroke care. [source] Operative Platform Applied to Building AutomationCOMPUTER-AIDED CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING, Issue 1 2009Joćo Figueiredo This structure is composed by three interrelated levels: the Operational level,where the field equipment is controlled, the Inter-Active level,where inhabitants communicate the building their preferences regarding control variables (lights, temperature, etc.), and the higher-level control, the Overall Building Well-Being Model, which manages the global building, taking into account the optimization of the inhabitants preferences, constrained by the available resources. At this third level, the inter-building communication is available. Each building has the capability to communicate with its neighbors, informing about fires, floods, security problems, power consumption expectations, and so on. This article implements one of the three above-referred interrelated control levels: the Operational-level control. This operative platform is structured over a cascade hierarchical control architecture where inner loops are performed by local PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), and the outer loop is managed by a centralized SCADA system (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) that interacts with the entire PLC network. The lower-level control loop assures high processing velocity tasks, the upper-level control loop updates the local references, knowing the complete system state. This operative model is tested on two prototypes, where all instrumentation in place is controlled by the industrial PLC network. Both prototypes worked perfectly showing the huge potential of communication systems between distributed processes. These communication systems allow intelligent centralized algorithms to manage decision-making problems in real-time environments. The system presented in this article combines several technologies (local PLCs, SCADA systems, and network communications) to reach the goal of efficient management of intelligent buildings. [source] The Polder Computing Environment: a system for interactive distributed simulationCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 13-15 2002K. A. Iskra Abstract The paper provides an overview of an experimental, Grid-like computing environment, Polder, and its components. Polder offers high-performance computing and interactive simulation facilities to computational science. It was successfully implemented on a wide-area cluster system, the Distributed ASCI Supercomputer. An important issue is an efficient management of resources, in particular multi-level scheduling and migration of tasks that use PVM or sockets. The system can be applied to interactive simulation, where a cluster is used for high-performance computations, while a dedicated immersive interactive environment (CAVE) offers visualization and user interaction. Design considerations for the construction of dynamic exploration environments using such a system are discussed, in particular the use of intelligent agents for coordination. A case study of simulatedabdominal vascular reconstruction is subsequently presented: the results of computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of a patient are displayed in CAVE, and a surgeon can evaluate the possible treatments by performing the surgeries virtually and analysing the resulting blood flow which is simulated using the lattice-Boltzmann method. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] European health policy challengesHEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue S1 2005Alan Maynard Abstract Few countries are immune to the international health care ,virus' of reform, with many countries regularly re-cycling changes that shift costs and benefits in ways that are arbitrary, inefficient and offer short term political palliation. Much of this activity has little evidence base and reveals lack of clarity in defining public policy goals, establishing trade-offs and aligning incentive structures with these objectives. Well established failures in health care delivery systems such as variations in medical practice and continuing absence of systematic outcome measurement, have persisted for decades as nations grapple inefficiently with recurring problems of expenditure inflation and waiting times. The lack of emphasis on evidence to inform the efficient management of chronic disease and the reduction of health inequalities is a product of perverse incentives and managerial inertia that maintains the incomes of powerful interest groups. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Finite element modelling of free-surface flows with non-hydrostatic pressure and k,, turbulence modelINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 2 2005C. Leupi Abstract Validation of 3D finite element model for free-surface flow is conducted using a high quality and high spatial resolution data set. The commonly numerical models with the conventional hydrostatic pressure still remain the most widely used approach for the solution of practical engineering problems. However, when a 3D description of the velocity field is required, it is useful to resort to a more accurate model in which the hydrostatic assumption is removed. The present research finds its motivation in the increasing need for efficient management of geophysical flows such as estuaries (multiphase fluid flow) or natural rivers with the presence of short waves and/or strong bathymetry gradient, and/or strong channel curvature. A numerical solution is based on the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier,Stokes equations on the unstructured grid. The eddy viscosity is calculated from the efficient k,, turbulence model. The model uses implicit fractional step time stepping, and the characteristics method is used to compute the convection terms in the multi-layers system (suitable for the vertical stratified fluid flow), in which the vertical grid is located at predefined heights and the number of elements in the water column depends on water depth. The bottommost and topmost elements of variable height allow a faithful representation of the bed and the time-varying free-surface, respectively. The model is applied to the 3D open channel flows of various complexity, for which experimental data are available for comparison. Computations with and without non-hydrostatic are compared for the same trench to test the validity of the conventional hydrostatic pressure assumption. Good agreement is found between numerical computations and experiments. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Performance issues of bandwidth management in ATM networksINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, Issue 2 2003Christos Bouras Abstract In our days, efficient management of the available network resources becomes a critical issue, both from a functional point of view (so that users can be provided with the bandwidth they need), and an economical point of view (so that carriers can satisfactorily and efficiently serve as many customers as possible and at the same time increase their revenue). In this paper we consider a bandwidth control scheme (i.e. managed bandwidth service) for an ATM network infrastructure which is applied to the Greek research and technology network (GRNET). We present some methods that we have tested (in a simulation setting) in order to increase the efficiency of the system and the utilization of the available bandwidth. More specifically, we consider a bandwidth-resizing algorithm for virtual paths, in order to keep the allocated bandwidth very close to the bandwidth actually used. This leads to an increased number of accepted requests and better network utilization. We, also, use the simulation results in order to get an estimation of the effective bandwidth for VBR paths that can be used in call admission. Finally, we consider a semi-offline scheme where requests are gathered and considered for acceptance in regular intervals. Simulation results show an increase in the utilization of resources. As a further improvement, we allow connections to be allocated a little before or after the time initially requested. This leads to further improvement in network utilization. All the improvement schemes were tested with the ATM-TN simulator and the results look promising. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] An ,upside-down' view of rural health careINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 2 2001Mary Mahoney Abstract Access to high quality health care services plays an important part in the health of rural communities and individuals. This fact is reflected in efforts by governments to improve the quality of such services through better targeting of funds and more efficient management of services. In Australia, the difficulties experienced by rural communities in attracting and retaining doctors has long been recognized as a contributing factor to the relatively higher levels of morbidity and mortality in rural areas. However, this paper, based on a study of two small rural communities in Australia, suggests that resolving the health problems of rural communities will require more than simply increasing the quality and accessibility of health services. Health and well-being in such communities relates as much to the sense of community cohesion as it does to the direct provision of medical services. Over recent years, that cohesion has diminished, undermined in part by government policies that have fuelled an exodus from small rural communities to urban areas. Until governments begin to take an ,upside-down' perspective, focusing on building healthy communities rather than simply on building hospitals to make communities healthy, the disadvantages faced by rural people will continue to be exacerbated. [source] Calcium supplement necessary to correct hypocalcemia after total parathyroidectomy for renal osteodystrophyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 2 2000Masayuki Nakagawa Abstract Background: Prediction of the extent of calcium supplement will facilitate safe and efficient management of hypocalcemia in the early postoperative stage of total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation (PTXa) in patients with renal osteodystrophy. Methods: The correlation between the extent of calcium deficiency, estimated by the amount of calcium supplement over 48 h after PTXa and using various parameters such as carboxy terminal parathyroid hormone (c-PTH), intact PTH (i-PTH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), serum calcium, serum phosphorus, duration of hemodialysis, total weight of resected parathyroid glands and degree of subperiosteal resorption of the middle phalanx was examined in 49 patients who underwent PTX with subcutaneous autotransplantation. Bone mineral density (BMD) was also determined before, 3 months and 1 year after PTXa with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in 13 patients. Results: There was a positive correlation between pre-operative i-PTH level (r = 0.56, P < 0.0005) or ALP level (r = 0.50, P < 0.0005) and the amount of calcium supplement over 48 h after PTXa in these patients. Furthermore, the degree of subperiosteal resorption, determined by Jensen's classification, was significantly correlated with the amount of calcium supplement after PTX (P < 0.05). Bone mineral density 3 months after (P < 0.0005) and 1 year after PTXa (P < 0.001) significantly increased compared with BMD before PTXa in all patients examined. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the pre-operative determination of i-PTH, ALP levels and degree of subperiosteal resorption allow the management of hypocalcemia safely and efficiently in renal osteodystrophy patients after PTXa. [source] Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Children: Forerunner to Adult Irritable Bowel Syndrome?JOURNAL FOR SPECIALISTS IN PEDIATRIC NURSING, Issue 3 2003Monica Jarrett PhD ISSUES AND PURPOSE Review the etiology and pathophysiology of recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) and its potential role as a precursor to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults. CONCLUSIONS Physiological mechanisms not easily identifiable as an organic cause may underlie symptoms in RAP patients. They may be triggered by psychosocial factors that result in greater functional disability, more clinic visits, and lower academic and social competence. Of these children, 25% will experience similar symptoms as adults; many will be diagnosed with IBS. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Nurses can provide early and efficient management of these children's care if they view the issues of abdominal pain/discomfort from a broader focus that includes the context of the child's experiences. [source] Kairomonal effect of some saturated hydrocarbons on the egg parasitoids, Trichogramma brasiliensis (Ashmead) and Trichogramma exiguum, Pinto, Platner and Oatman (Hym., Trichogrammatidae)JOURNAL OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 7-8 2002A. V. N. Paul These were followed by docosane, tricosane, heneicosane, hexatriacontane and tetracosane, which may be grouped as favourable hydrocarbons showing varying levels of kairomonal activity for T. brasiliensis, as compared to eicosane, pentadecane, octacosane and heptadecane, which can be grouped as non-favourable hydrocarbons. In the case of T. exiguum, pentacosane-treated egg cards showed maximum parasitism followed by hexacosane, pentadecane, hexatriacontane, tricosane and docosane thereby indicating their kairomonal activity in comparison with heptadecane, tetracosane, eicosane, heneiocosane and octacosane which recorded low levels of parasitism. In the case of T. brasiliesnsis, tetracosane recorded the highest response at the lowest concentration, C1 (62.5 ng/cm2), which decreased as the concentration increased. Eicosane, heneicosane and docosane recorded the highest parasitism at C2 (125 ng/cm2). In heptadecane, tricosane, pentacosane and hexatriacontane the highest parasitism was recorded at the medium concentration, C3 (250 ng/cm2). Octacosane recorded the highest response at C4 (375 ng/cm2). Pentadecane and hexacosane-treated egg cards showed their highest response at C5 (500 ng/cm2). In the case of T. exiguum, the lowest concentration, C1 evoked the highest response in hexacosane, whereas heptacosane, heneiocosane, docosane and tetracosane recorded the highest parasitism at C2. Eicosane, pentacosane and octacosane recorded maximum parasitism, at C3, whereas tricosane and hexatriacontane showed maximum parasitism at C4 and pentadecane at C5. These concentrations can be taken as the optimum concentration to increase parasitization by these parasitoids. The favourable hydrocarbons at their optimum concentration can be used for efficient management of these parasitoids in field releases. [source] Business Growth and Performance and the FinancialReporting Practices of Australian Manufacturing SMEsJOURNAL OF SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2001Richard G.P. McMahon This article describes an explanatory study of the impact of financial reporting practices upon business growth and performance outcomes amongst small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) engaged in manufacturing in Australia. The study is able to establish some statistically significant bivariate associations between the extent and frequency of financial reporting undertaken and certain measures of SME growth and performance. However, the state of financial reporting practices becomes subsumed by other important influences in multivariate analysis. Management is a complex activity affected by a myriad of interacting internal and external factors, and must inevitably be undertaken in an holistic manner in SMEs. Particular practices make a contribution to the whole task without necessarily standing out as all-embracing solutions to problems generally encountered. Thus, it is argued that improved financial reporting should be realistically viewed as simply part of a broader competence in financial management which, taken together with other functional capabilities, is likely to lead to more effective and efficient management of SMEs and significantly improve their prospects. [source] The Photogrammetric Society: 1952,2001THE PHOTOGRAMMETRIC RECORD, Issue 100 2002K. B. Atkinson A scholarly account of the formative discussions, the founding and the first 20 years of the Photogrammetric Society was published in 1971 and republished in 1974. This present review concentrates on the latter years of the life of the Photogrammetric Society prior to its merger with the Remote Sensing Society in 2001. The authors joined the Photogrammetric Society in 1960 and were conspicuous in its affairs for many years. Although both occupied the Society's presidential chair, they also fulfilled several other roles in its efficient management. Atkinson's first contribution to the Photogrammetric Record was published in 1968 and Newton's in 1971. [source] Approaches towards the Efficient Use of Resources in the IndustryCHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY (CET), Issue 4 2010M. Schmidt Abstract Resource efficiency in companies targets economic and efficient use of materials and energy in production. On the one hand, this aims to contribute towards sustainable development and, on the other hand, efficient use of resources can save costs and improve the competitiveness of a company. This aspect is becoming all the more important in the light of current developments in world market prices for natural resources. In Germany, the use of materials and energy currently accounts for about 46,% of the gross value of goods manufactured by companies. It is known from various sources that the average potential for savings here is 10,15,%. The material costs alone can be reduced by 2,3,% through efficient management. The potentials for saving lie less in the individual technologies applied and more in the interplay within and between the complex production systems. That is why one key challenge facing the industry is to ascertain the hidden costs that are in fact linked with inefficiencies in a company. Analysis methods and approaches are necessary for this, such as for example the material and energy flow analysis. [source] | ||||||||||||||||